The Weasley's read the philosper's stone
by Somebodyrandom
Summary: I've adopted this from mistress ashley it is set just after the deaths of Lily and James Potter.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I do not own this and am not making any profit, I adopted this story from Mistress Ashley

Chapter One

In an oddly shaped home fondly named the Burrow lived a red-haired family named Weasley. The father, Arthur, his wife, Molly, and their seven children, Bill, the oldest at almost eleven, Charlie, at almost nine and there was Percy at five. Then came the twins, Fred and George, troublemakers at only three. Next came Ron at one and the baby, the only girl, Ginny at almost three months. While large in number, small in house and funds, to them it was perfect or as close to perfect as anything could be.

Our story begins as Molly is putting the children down for their naps. Percy curled up in bed with a picture book immediately. Fred and George who didn't wish to take a nap but were getting scolded and being put down anyway. Ron was half asleep already and being tucked in and Ginny taking the last few sips from a bottle and nodding off.

As Molly left the room, closing the door and headed back down the steps she saw a bright flash of light in the living-room. So drawing her wand, just in case, she tiptoed down the steps. What she found was a bit of a surprise. There on the coffee table was a set of books looking perfectly new.

She called to Arthur, who hurried out of the kitchen with her two oldest, and she pointed to the books.

"I just came from putting the children down for their naps when I saw a flash of light. When I got down here, there they were. I didn't want to touch them just in case," explained Molly.

"Good thinking," Arthur said as he examined the books, quickly casting spells to make sure they weren't hexed. You never can be too careful, especially so soon after You-Know-Who. Not finding anything he picked one up and almost dropped it as he read the title. "Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone," Arthur mumbled.

Flipping the book over hoping to get an idea of what had just dropped into their laps. "Molly, look at this. The boy on the cover and the name of the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. And it says here that it was printed in 1997. Do you think -- well -- maybe these were sent to us for a reason?"

"The boys and Ginny will be down for a bit so we could read a bit and find out, right?" Not know if this was a good idea or not but if they had been sent for a reason she wanted to find out.

"Oh, can we? Please?" Charlie asked, giddied to find out all he could about the books. They sure did sounded fun.

"Right. I guess we're agreed. We'll read a bit. Hopefully we can fit in a chapter or two before the kids wake up," Arthur stated as he made himself comfortable on the couch, Molly sitting next to him and Bill and Charlie curling up on the floor to listen. He cracked the book open to the first chapter entitled:

**Chapter One**

**The Boy Who Lived**

Molly gasped. Even though he had just been dubbed that it was in all the papers. "Lily and James' son, Harry Potter. It really is about him. Go on Arthur."

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,**

Molly: Mostly to herself Isn't that the last name of Lily's sister now since she married that . . . _man_?

**of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. **

Charlie/Bill: You're welcome!

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

Molly: huff Nonsense.

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son call Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

Arthur: Hm . . . I know we shouldn't judge on looks but they don't sound very nice.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs., Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

Molly: Good-for-nothing! A child like _that_! You're right Arthur. I don't like the sound of them.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday out story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

Bill: Bit a brat.

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

Arthur: chuckle Muggles. shakes his head fondly

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. Ho got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

Charlie: A definite brat.

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar -- a cat reading a map.**

Arthur: Animagus?

Molly: Might be.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen -- then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive -- no, **_**looking**_**, at the sign; cat couldn't read maps **_**or**_** signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. **

Charlie: What's so strange about that?

Molly: Muggles dear. They don't wear cloaks often and even then nothing like ours.

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes -- the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt -- these people were obviously collection for something . . . yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

Bill: A bit of a one track mind.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. **_**He**_** didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead.**

Bill: Might not want to do that . . . keep your mouth open with owls flying around.

Arthur: mutter Muggles.

**Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

Molly: Anger management?

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. "The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard --"**

**"-- yes, their son, Harry --"**

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking . . . no, he was being stupid. **

Charlie: Yes . . . you're being stupid.

Molly: Charlie!

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew **_**was **_**called Harry.**

Molly: How can you _not_ know?! He's your nephew . . . family!

**He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her -- if **_**he'd**_** had a sister like that . . . but all the same, those people in cloaks . . . **

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggle like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

Arthur: I can't tell you how many Muggles had to be obliviated just because a wizard did something like that! The Obliviaters and Aurors had their hands full. Even some of the accomplished Ministry staff was call in to do odd jobs not under their jurisdiction.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been call a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw -- and it didn't improve his mood -- was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same on; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

Arthur: Could that be McGonagall? She's the only cat animagus I know of who has markings around their eyes like that.

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

Molly: Oh . . . if that is her, that's just going to make her mad. She'll have to settle for giving him a stern look.

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").**

Bill/Charlie: Brat!

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening new: **

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers ar far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early -- it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters . . . **

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er -- Petunia, dear -- you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

Molly: angry huff Pretending you don't have a sister. As good as I'm sure Lily was to her.

**"No." She said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls . . . shooting stars . . . and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today . . . "**

**"**_**So?**_**" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought . . . maybe . . . it was something to do with . . . you know . . . **_**her**_** crowd."**

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said as casually as he could, "Their son -- he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

Molly: Well I like the name Harry!

Arthur: Calm down, Molly dear.

Molly: I just don't get it Arthur. Poor Lily having had to put up with it.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did . . . if it got out that they were related to a pair of -- well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters **_**were**_** involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Perunia thought about them and their kind . . . He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on -- he yawned and turned over -- it couldn't affect **_**them**_

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. **

Arthur: Albus, of course

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from him name to his boots was unwelcome.**

Arthur: Or knowing Dumbledore, he just doesn't care.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seem to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again -- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number for, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

Molly: I can't imagine Minerva looking ruffled.

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

All: giggle/chuckle

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no -- even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls . . . shooting stars . . . Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent -- I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

Arthur: It _was_ Diggle. Someone would go down and tell him not to and as soon as they were gone he'd be right back to it. After several warnings it was either leave him to it or arrest him but with all the hubbub it was decided to just leave him be.

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance a Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really **_**has **_**gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A **_**what?**_**"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

Arthur: shakes his head Only Dumbledore.

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who **_**has**_** gone --"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense -- for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: **_**Voldemort**_**."**

All: flinch

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying' You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, **_**Voldemort**_**, was frightened of."**

Molly: I can't believe it. He actually got her to say it.

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too -- well -- **_**noble**_** to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she like my new earmuffs."**

Bill: Eww! That was something I never wanted to know. And now I don't think I'll ever be able to look at the two the same again.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the **_**rumors**_** that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're **_**saying**_**," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are -- are -- that they're -- **_**dead**_**."**

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

Molly: quietly/sadly Poor Lily. Poor James.

**"Lily and James . . . I can't believe it . . . I didn't want to believe it . . . Oh, Albus . . . "**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know . . . I know . . . " he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But -- he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke -- and that's why he's gone."**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's -- it's **_**true**_**?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done . . . all the people he's killed . . . he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding . . . of all the things to stop him . . . but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

Arthur: I'm sure Dumbledore has some idea that he just doesn't want to share.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why**_** you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

Molly: No! He's not really going to leave him there is he?

**"You don't mean -- you **_**can't**_** mean the people who live **_**here**_**?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore -- you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like up. And they've got this son -- I saw him kicking his mother all te way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

Molly: A letter! Dumbledore has gone round the bend. rants, though only a few words could be heard by the others Codger . . . Old . . . Senile . . . to leave a boy there!

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous -- a legend -- I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future -- there will be books written about Harry**

Charlie: Like these maybe?

**-- every child in our world will know his name!"**

Bill: Most already do.

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and the said, "Yes -- yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

Molly: Better not have Harry in there somewhere.

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it -- **_**wise**_** -- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

Arthur: Yes, but would you trust him with Harry's life is the question?

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does ten to -- what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at they sky -- and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in from of them.**

Bill/Charlie: Cool. Can we one?

Molly: You most certainly can **not**!

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so **_**wild**_** -- long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

Charlie: a bit fearful They're exaggerating right?

Arthur: Not by much.

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved, "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

Molly: darkly muttered Sirius Black

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir -- house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

Molly: Aww. That poor boy. He's gone through so much already.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

**"Is that where --?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well -- give him here, Hagrid -- we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursley's house.**

**"Could I -- could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

Bill/Charlie: Howls

Molly: Shh! You'll wake your brothers and sister!

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it -- Lily an' James dead -- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles --"**

Molly: Poor Hagrid. Must remember to do something nice for him. making a note

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. **

Molly: You can't just leave him there! It's much too cold for a baby even with those blankets. What if he rolls out of them or Merlin forbid off the step!

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked a the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

Arthur: Not a good sign when Dumbledore's eyes don't twinkle.

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah,"said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall -- Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into like; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve ball of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange **

Charlie: I so want one of those.

**and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley ... He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter -- the boy who lived!"**

Molly: sniffle Poor child.

Arthur: That's the end of the first chapter. Should we continue on?

A cry was heard through the house as Ginny woke from her nap, waking her brothers also.

Arthur: Well, I guess that answers that question. I'm sure we can find time to read the next chapter soon. Go on Molly. I'll fix a bottle while you grab the kids.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A few days later Arthur was finally able to relax into his usual work hours now that the pandemonium at the Ministry had died down. This gave him time to think about the books and talk it over with Molly.

They had just finished lunch and set the children to play in the living room with Bill and Charlie to watch over them when Molly looked up from where she was spelling the dishes clean. She looked like she'd had something on her mind for a while and he knew he was right when she asked, "The books, Arthur, should we do something about them, about Harry? Tell someone?"

He rolled the idea around in his head, then shook his head. "We don't have anything to go on just yet. While what we've read about where Harry's gone and the Dursleys and while it may not sound like the best environment we don't have all the facts. We'd have to read more to truly know and even then we'd have no proof to take to the Ministry to get Harry out of there. We'd have to report it and that would get Minister Fudge involved and you know he let Lucius Malfoy get off with a confession of Imperious. We'd have to go to Dumbledore and he's the one that put Harry there in the first place so we couldn't be sure he'd take _just_ our word for it. We'll have to read more, find out all we can and _then_ do something about it."

Molly face had fallen at that. "Oh, Arthur, I just don't like the thought of leaving a child there, even with what little we've read so far."

Arthur stood from where he'd been seated and wrapped his arms around his wife, whispering in her ear. "I know honey and we'll do everything we can. Let's finish at least the first book to get the full picture before we try to do anything."

"I know you're right but I don't have to like it." Molly said with a grim smile and a quick kiss she moved past him into the living room.

She leaned in the doorway and watched her children play with a fond smile. Ron was in his playpen cuddled up to his teddy bear, eyes falling half shut, almost completely to sleep. Fred and George were in a corner, whispering, more than likely planning something, she thought with exasperation and a shake of her head. That seemed to be all they did now a days; she couldn't imagine how bad they'd be when they got older if they kept this up. Percy was sitting in a chair looking through one of Charlie's old children's books she'd found for him. He seemed to be so eager and advanced even at such a young age. She looked to the other arm chair and found Charlie who looked through his book with fascination. She squinted her eyes hoping to see the title. _Dragons_! Her eyes widening. He was looking through a book of _dragon species_. Merlin forbid that fascination kept up, she'd have a heart attack, or maybe even two, before Ron and Ginny even _went_ to Hogwarts. And her oldest Bill, he'd been so disappointed when he'd learned that he'd have to wait another year before he could go to Hogwarts because his birthday happened to be after the school year began. She'd bought his books early for him and while he might not have been able to get his wand and perform any of the spells, he'd spent days on end reading and rereading those books. She was sure he had them memorized by now but he never seemed to bore of them.

Arthur's arms wrapped around her from behind, leaning back toward him, watching her children, and she was content.

A half hour later and the children were down for their naps. Bill and Charlie had put their own books away on seeing their parents relaxing on the couch with the Harry Potter book. They crowded up to the couch on the floor while Arthur opened the book to the next chapter; he began to read:

**Chapter Two**

**The Vanishing Glass**

Bill: Vanishing glass? Vanishing from where?

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all.**

Charlie: Nothing had changed? Not even the paint? Sounds a bit boring doesn't it, not changing anything?

Bill: Yeah can you imagine? I'd be bored out of my mind.

**The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news repot about owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets -- **

Molly: That doesn't sound very healthy for a baby, to be as big as a beach ball at that age.

**but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.**

Arthur exchanged a telling look with Molly.

Arthur: No signs at all of another boy living there?

**Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

"**Up! Get up! Now!"**

Molly: Well, that's no way to wake someone up!

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.**

**"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

Bill shook his head: No, Harry, it wasn't just a dream.

Charlie: I'd like a flying motorcycle. Can we get one?

Molly: _Absolutely not_! You'll wreck and break your neck.

**His aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

**"Nearly," said Harry.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

Molly was in a bit of shock, to let a child tend to the stove was unthinkable to her. She didn't even let Bill cook unless she was right beside him to supervise and make sure he didn't burn himself. It seemed like this woman, Harry's Aunt, didn't truly care if _he _burned _himself_, as long as he didn't burn the bacon.

**Harry groaned.**

**"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

Charlie: He didn't say anything. He groaned.

**"Nothing, nothing . . . "**

**Dudley's birthday -- how could he have forgotten?**

Charlie: From the sounds of things, very easily.

**Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**

They all let out a gasp, eyes widening, while they didn't have much money and not a lot of space, Bill and Charlie sharing a room and not a very large room at that to have to sleep in a cupboard was something they couldn't even imagine.

Molly's face took on a truly frightening expression of outrage and anger, looking like she just might explode if she puffed up anymore. Arthur knew what was coming and grabbing his wand and hoping he was in time she shot a silencing spell in her direction. Though he wasn't completely on time, she'd already sucked in a large breath and began her rant.

Molly: A CUPBOARD! THEY MAKE HIM SLEEP IN A CUP --

She continued, though no sound came out. She'd gotten up to pace, arms waving and flailing about to emphasize this point and that, mouth still moving. Bill and Charlie didn't remember ever seeing her so angry, even that time when they were younger and they'd snuck out to the shed and stolen brooms. They'd ridden them all over Ottery St. Catchpole, the Aurors had been called in and several muggles had had to be obliviated, they'd been given a warning since they were so young but their mother had blown up spectacularly and they'd been grounded for three whole months and given all kinds of chores. They'd been so embarrassed and so _very_ sorry after repeatedly having to tell their magical friends just _why_ they were being punished. Even then didn't compare to now. They watched in something close to awe as their father tried to calm her and was rebuffed each time.

Arthur finally decided that trying to reason with her and talk her down wasn't working. He felt like he was taking his life into his hands as he stepped into her path and gently grabbed hold of her shoulders.

Arthur: Molly, you _must_ calm down! We agreed we'd finish this book before deciding on anything. We can't just go over there and steal him away in the middle of the night. Come here, sit down, and be calm.

Arthur led his wife to the couch and tenderly helped her sit. The fight seemed to have gone out of her and now she just seemed immensely sad.

Molly: Who could do that to a child?

Arthur: I don't know dear, someone not in their right mind I'm sure.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. **

Charlie: How big is that table, to be hidden under them?

**It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. **

Bill: I'm not sure what those are but I'm sure they're expensive.

Molly quickly told Arthur to continue before he could tell them exactly what those things were. Though she loved her husband, his fascination with all things Muggle could irk her sometimes so she'd learned to watch for the signs and head him off when she could.

**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise -- unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punching back was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him.**

Molly's eyes narrowed at this but she held her tongue, _for now_.

**Harry didn't look it but he was very fast.**

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age.**

Arthur: I think that runs in the family. James was never very tall at that age and from what I remember neither was Lily, though they did hit a bit of a growth spurt later.

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose.**

Again, Molly's eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips to hold back any words that wanted to slip out.

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning.**

Bill: I don't think he'll like it too much once he goes to school, everyone will know what happened and they'll more than likely stare at him or rather, at _it_.

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when you parents died," she had said. "And don't ask question."**

_**Don't ask questions**_** -- that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

Charlie: Well, how's he supposed to _learn_ anything if he doesn't ask questions.

Bill: I don't think they really want him to learn anything. Sad.

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

**"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of morning greeting.**

Arthur: That's not a very nice greeting.

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way -- all over the place.**

Molly gave a small laugh.

Molly: James' hair was the exact same. He didn't mind it so much though, thought a hand run through his hair could attract any girl, it didn't work so well with Lily, _she _thought it made him look arrogant.

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel -- Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

Bill and Charlie laughed out loud at this, Arthur gave a small chuckle. _Boys_, Molly thought with an affectionate shake of her head, while trying to hide her smile.

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting presents. His face fell.**

Charlie: Off!

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

Bill: _Thirty-six? Thirty-six_ presents? What parent gives their children thirty-six presents? And he's complaining about having less than _last_ year?

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

Molly: They're going to let him complain like that and then placate him for it?

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fas as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.**

Molly: Oh, Harry dear, you don't want to eat that fast. You'll choke.

Arthur gave Molly a tiny smile.

Arthur: He can't hear you dear.

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another **_**two**_** presents while we're out today. How's that popkin? **_**Two**_** more presents. Is that all right?"**

Bill: Is that all right? Why are you asking him?

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty . . . thirty . . . "**

Charlie gave a laugh and turned to Bill.

Charlie: He's _your_ age Bill and he can't add two to thirty-seven. Can you?

Bill looked at Charlie a bit affronted.

Bill: Of _course_ I can! Thirty-nine. Duh! Did you ask _me_ just because _you_ couldn't do it?

Charlie lunged at Bill, dragging him hard to the floor. Molly pulled out her wand hoping to separate them before one of them got hurt when she heard the first laugh. Charlie was trying to tickle Bill into submission! She looked at her husband with a smile to see an identical one on his face.

Molly: Boys! Boys, stop. If we want to finish this chapter before your sister or your brothers wake up we need to be quick.

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

Molly gave a huff at this.

Molly: All right?

**Uncle Vernon chuckled.**

"**Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

Molly: Don't encourage him!

Bill: Mum you just said we needed to be quick.

Molly's cheeks stained a light pink as she blushed.

**At that moment the telephone rang **

Charlie: What's a telephone?

Arthur's eyes took on an excited gleam and he opened his mouth, probably to tell his son what a telephone was and the exact details of how it worked, when Molly's voice cut in before him, making Arthur slump back into the couch with the start of a pout. _She never let me talk about Muggle things_, Arthur thought in disappointment.

Molly: It's like the floo but you can't see the person you're talking to on the other end.

Charlie: Weird.

**and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.**

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

Molly's face became thoughtful as she looked at Arthur.

Molly: Mrs. Figg, do you think they mean Arabella Figg?

Arthur: She was a squib, wasn't she? If this Mrs. Figg _is_ Arabella maybe she was placed there by Dumbledore to keep an eye on Harry.

Molly: Well, she's not to a very great job.

Molly's lips pursed and her eyes narrowed.

Molly: Locked in a cupboard, punched in the nose, abused is what he is! She'd have to be _blind_ not to see it!

Arthur tended to agree with her on this and decided to point out as delicately as possible . . .

Arthur: You have to consider that she's a bit, well, _mad _now, and then imagine what she'd be like in ten years. I always thought all those cats did her in . . . while some may be Kneazle and a bit smart, it just doesn't make up for having almost any human contact. I think anyone would be a bit mad with just cats to talk to all day long.

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

Arthur: Oh, yes, that's Arabella all right.

Bill: How do you spend a day at a hamburger restaurant?

Charlie: They described Dudley at fat so he probably spends all day eating even when he's at home. He'll just spend all day eating something other than Harry's cooking.

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.**

Charlie chuckled.

Charlie: Tibbles? Snowy? Mr. Paws and Tufty? What person in their right mind names their pets that?

Molly: She's not in her right mind, dear.

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

Molly's eyes widened. _The poor boy's right there!_ She thought in outrage.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there -- or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend -- Yvonne?"**

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

Molly: You had better _not _leave him there! He's not old enough to take care of himself without some kind of supervision. What if something goes wrong?

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

Bill's face screwed up.

Bill: Attractive. Yuck!

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

Molly: Not exactly what I was thinking but it could happen I suppose.

**"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, " . . . and leave him in the car . . . "**

**"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone . . . "**

_Oh, yes think of your car and not the boy! _Molly thought. Her already low opinion of the Dursleys seemingly getting lower each time they opened their mouths.

**Dudley began to cry loudly.**

Charlie: Big baby.

**In fact, he wasn't really crying -- it had been years since he'd really cried -- but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

Bill: Nope, just a plain, old spoiled brat.

**"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

Molly: A spoiled brat because of an over dramatic mother.

_Disgusting. She's not a good mother to her own son, how anyone, let alone the supposed wise and powerful Dumbledore, can think she'd be a good Aunt to the child of a sister she hated is anyone's guess. _Molly thought in no small amount of anger and exasperation. _And then to not check on the child yourself. Just set up a mad, blind old woman to watch._

**"I ... don't . . . want . . . him . . . t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.**

Arthur: Sounds almost like a Malfoy, though even _they_ have too much pride to think of pretending to cry to get something . . .

Arthur thought about what he'd just said and calmly turned to Molly.

Arthur: Molly . . . the world is about to end.

Molly: What? Arthur, what are you on about now?

Arthur: I believe I just said something that could be construed as _nice_ about the Malfoys.

Molly's lips twitched as she tried to hold in a giggle. Soon they bubbled up and she couldn't do it anymore and they burst forth until she was outright laughing, Arthur joining her soon after.

Bill and Charlie exchanged wondering looks.

Bill: Our parents are _weird_!

Charlie nodded an odd look coming over his face. He couldn't imagine what his friends would think if they found out about this . . . his parents laughing up a storm and acting like children because his father had said something _nice_ about the _Malfoys_ of all people!

Charlie: Let's not talk about it ever again.

Bill chuckled, almost able to see what his younger brother was thinking. He'd have thought the same at that age before he'd realized that _all_ parents were weird.

Charlie tilted his head up, asking loudly toward the sky.

Charlie: Am I the only _sane_ one in this family?

His parents and brother almost pulling themselves together before hearing this started laughing again. Charlie put on a scowl, crossed his arms and huff, before he sighed and gave up, joining in with the laughter.

Once the laughter had died down, Arthur picked the book up from where it had dropped and began reading once again.

**Just then, the doorbell rang -- "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically -- and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walking in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. **

Charlie: Sounds like a nice fellow . . . not!

**Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

Bill: Oh, so you can cry in front of _Mummy _but not in front of Piers.

**Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.**

Molly: That poor boy. You go and have fun Harry, don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy -- any funny business, anything at all -- and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

Molly gave a very life like growl, starting the boys.

Molly: _That man_ . . . if I ever meet him, he's going to wish he hadn't met _me_!

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly . . . "**

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.**

Bill: But you probably did, Harry.

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. **

Molly: Sounds a bit like the Hair-Thickening Charm.

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he **_**couldn't**_** explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

Molly's lips pursed like they always seemed to when Harry being in a cupboard was mentioned.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls).**

Charlie: Ew. I'd try for accident magic to get rid of it as well!

**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the small it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry.**

Bill: Wouldn't it have fit him at some point in the shrinking?

Molly gave a small smile as she remembered how much Bill would squirm when she tried to put something he didn't like on him when he was a child. Shaking her head as she answered him with a bit of an evil grin.

Molly: You're old enough to start helping me with the twins and after the first time trying to get _them_ dressed, you'll never have to ask that question again.

Bill's eyes widened in horror. _The twins? No way!_ He thought quickly, hoping to find some way out of this, backtracking with his words.

Bill: No, I'm sure you're right, I'll just take your word for it.

_Works every time_. Molly thought with a smug smile.

**Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.**

Molly: Good. He shouldn't be punished for something he can't help.

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the mind must have caught him in mid-jump.**

Molly turned to Arthur, eyes wide with disbelief and a hint of awe.

Molly: Apparition?

Arthur shook his a head with a bit of a frown forming.

Arthur: No, I'm sure something else must have happened. He'd have surely splinched himself without a clear idea of wanting to get to the roof. Maybe it's like he said, a Levitation Charm, making him think that the wind picked him up mid-jump. Still, his magic is fairly powerful to pull off things of that magnitude. Most children's magic tends to stick to color changing, you'll see a transfiguration as well, with something else thrown in every once in a while.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong.**

Bill: Oh no, you don't say something like that Harry. Now anything that can go wrong, more than likely, will.

**It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending they day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.**

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

Charlie: I take it he complains about Harry a lot?

**"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.**

**"I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remember suddenly. "It was flying."**

Bill: You shouldn't have said that.

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. **

Molly: Oh, be careful. If you can't at least think of Harry, think of _yourself _and your _family_, and watch where you're going!

**He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

Charlie: Ew! A beet with a mustache. Not a very nice picture.

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

**"I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon -- they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.**

Bill: They just don't want you to have an imagination, dangerous or otherwise.

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice cream at the entrance**

Molly: You had _better_ buy something for Harry!

**and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop.**

Molly frowned.

Molly: I was thinking, something a bit better than that.

**It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, **

Molly's disapproving frown turned up a bit.

Molly: That's nice, Harry dear. As long as you like it.

**licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

Bill and Charlie gave small chuckles and Arthur tried to hide his grin from Molly.

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate at the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.**

**Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

Bill: I knew it! You shouldn't have said nothing was going to go wrong. It always leads to bad things happening.

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. **

Arthur: I've got a bad feeling about this.

**It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place.**

Arthur: Oh, I _really_ don't have a good feeling about this.

**It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can -- but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. It fact, it was fast asleep.**

Charlie relaxed a bit.

Charlie: That doesn't sound to bad. Not much can happen when it's asleep.

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.**

Charlie tensed right back up and gave a small groan.

Charlie: Don't wake it up!

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

**"This is boring, " Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself -- no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.**

_**It winked.**_

Molly gasped.

Charlie looked a bit confused.

Charlie: But, from what I've read snakes wouldn't be able to wink.

**Harry stared. The he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

Molly looked a bit frightened.

Molly: Harry, dear, back away from the snake.

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, the raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:**

_**"I get that all the time."**_

Molly: Arthur, is he talking to that snake?

Arthur: Well, not technically. He hasn't said anything back . . . yet.

**"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."**

**The snake nodded vigorously.**

Arthur then turned to Molly.

Arthur: Yes, Molly, I do believe he is now talking to that snake.

Molly: Does that mean . . . mean he's . . .

Molly seemed to flounder on what exactly to say.

Arthur's expression changed to look a bit hopeful. His next words coming out as more of a question than the statement he'd wanted it to be.

Arthur: He may just have a way with animals? Though, if he was -- would we like him any less?

Molly pulled herself up with a look of resolution.

Molly: No, no, of course not.

That's what he loved about his Molly. She had a soft spot for strays, no matter.

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.**

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.**

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

**"Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see -- so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. **

Molly: Well, it wasn't such a bad conversation to have with a snake.

Charlie looked as though he'd come to some realization.

Charlie: So, he's a Parselmouth. That would explain a bit of how the snake winked. If what I think is right, then the connection between the speaker and the snake transmits and interprets body language. While a snake can't wink, seeing as they don't have eyelids, a Parselmouth interprets the body language and translates it to something they can understand automatically.

Bill: You're such a nerd.

It was at this point that Molly heard a small noise on the stairs. As she shushed Bill and Charlie, who were now bickering, she heard the sound of a muffled giggle. She stood with a small sigh, walking to the stairs, she saw Fred and George peaking around the corner.

Molly kneeled down, grabbing them both as they squealed at having been caught.

Molly: You two, what are you two doing up? You're supposed to still be asleep.

Fred and George, or was it George and Fred, exchanged looks before turning back to her.

Fred: Can't.

George shook his head with a pout forming on his lips.

George: _Won't!_

Molly didn't know how she was going to come out of raising these two without a full head of grey hair. She sighed.

Molly: Well then, there's nothing for it now. Come on you two, come sit with Mummy and Daddy, and your brothers. We'll be done in a bit and then we can go wake Ron and Percy. How does that sound?

Fred: Char!

George: 'ill

Molly nodded her head as she moved back over to the couch. She handed Fred and George to the boys seated on the floor.

Molly: Yes, _Bill_ and _Charlie_. Now, can you sit there and be quite? Go on Arthur.

**"DUDLEY! MR. Dursley! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T **_**BELIEVE**_** WHAT IT'S DOING!**"

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. **

Bill: Ouch!

Fred/George: Ow!

**Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened -- one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.**

Arthur: Just as I said, advanced accidental magic. It's a wonder no one checked up on all the hits that had to have come to the Ministry.

Molly gave a severe frown.

Molly: If it was Dumbledore's doing again, I'm going to have a few _words_ with that man.

**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor.**

Fred and George looked at each other with what would become their trademark mischievous look.

Fred/George: Sss'nake!

**People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come . . . Thanksss, amigo."**

Molly gave a gasp.

Molly: It looks like you were wrong Arthur. He doesn't have a way with animals . . . just snakes, but I stand by what I said. It doesn't change how I think about him. At least the snake was polite.

Arthur smiled at his wife.

Arthur: Yes, dear.

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death.**

Bill: Exaggerate much?

**But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"**

Charlie and Arthur seemed to have the same thoughts.

Charlie/Arthur: Oh no!

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go -- cupboard -- stay -- no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.**

Molly: No meals? And a _large_ brandy, alcohol isn't going to help anything.

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

Bill: At least he's resourceful, and now we know not all of his will has been taken, sneaking out to get food proves that.

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead.**

Molly looked as though she was trying not to cry and failing as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. When she spoke, it was in a quiet, strained tone.

Molly: The Killing Curse. Oh, that poor boy, remember that and not know how it _really_ happened.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

Molly seemed to have lost her fight against her tears as she broke down sobbing. Arthur placed the book down and quickly gathered his wife into his arms. The only ones who didn't seem to know what was happening were Fred and George but they seemed to recognize something about this moment for they kept quiet.

When Molly got her tears under control, she came to an idea. Turning to Arthur in the hopes that he would approve and maybe help her.

Molly: Arthur, let's call around to the Potter's friends, ask for some pictures. We could make an album for Harry.

Arthur: That sounds like a wonderful idea, love.

At this, Molly looked like she was holding herself back from flying into the kitchen to the floo to make those calls right away.

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.**

Molly: Wizards and Witches. If they can find him to wave and shake hands with him, what's to stop the dark wizards from finding him?

Though Arthur looked a bit worried, he still tried to reassure Molly.

Arthur: I'm sure Dumbledore thought of something.

**At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

Arthur marked the page and closed the book. Fred and George, taking this as their cue, jumped at their mum and dad.

Molly: Bill, Charlie, take your brother upstairs and bring down the others. Your father and I will start on that snack I promised.

With that she passed George to Bill while Arthur passed Fred to Charlie and heading into the kitchen with Arthur following behind her, leaving Bill and Charlie to wrangle Fred and George upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Arthur came in through the front door, hanging his cloak, he made his way to the kitchen where he could hear the sounds of pots and pans banging around.

"What's got you so excited, Molly?" asked Arthur, stopping in the door, watching as his wife practically danced around the kitchen.

Molly spun to look at Arthur, who dropped into a chair, eyes alight with a tint of exasperation, almost as if Arthur should have known already. "The books said that Harry is coming up on eleven." Molly cut herself off, waiting to see if Arthur would guess. When he stayed silent, she gave an almost silent huff and continued her explanation. "Hogwarts, Arthur. He'll be getting his Hogwarts letter. _Ron_ will be getting his Hogwarts letter, seeing that he's the same age as Harry. Bill and Charlie will be out of school, maybe even with . . . with jobs. Bill may even be _married_. Percy will be in his fifth year. He could very well be a Prefect that year." She seemed to have been thinking about this for a while, waiting for this moment when she could get all this out, as her words were a bit hurried. Arthur watched as she took a large breath and continued. "The twins, they'll be in third year, and if they keep up with the mischief they've been making or Merlin forbid, they get worse, I'll be grey-haired and sending Howlers all day long or worse, they could be _expelled_. Arthur, what are you laughing about! This is serious!" Molly exclaimed as she rounded on a chuckling Arthur.

Arthur opened his mouth but all that seemed to come out was a bubble of laughter. Trying again he answered, "I'm sorry, Molly, but I just got a picture of the twins causing mayhem and you grey haired sending Howler after Howler." His arm snapped out and scooped her up, dropping her in his lap as he whispered in her ear. "You look very adorable with grey hair."

Molly gave a huff as she relaxed into his hold. "Hmm . . . You better hope I look as adorable as you imagined because I can just see it happening just now, Bill getting a dangerous job and Charlie playing Quidditch with all those bludgers flying around, Percy following in your footsteps and getting a job at the Ministry, Fred and George with their pranks, and Ron becoming friends with Harry and getting into all kinds of boyhood antics, and then Ginny and all the boys that will be after her when she's old enough. I'll be lucky to see it because I'll have had a heart attack or two and I'll be grey haired and stressed."

Arthur had started to snicker half way through but when it got to Ginny and boys he stopped, glaring at thin air. "There will be _noboys _for Ginny. None!"

Molly gave a giggle. "You can't stop it from happening, Arthur." She got a fond and sad smile on her face. "Gideon and Fabian tried to stop you and it didn't work so well, now did it, If anything it made you more persistent."

"Yes, I can't tell you how many ways they threatened me until I proved myself and then they left it at, 'Hurt her and we'll kill you'. I guess I'll just have to keep the tradition going, any boy that doesn't run away at the first threat will get a chance to prove himself though if he hurts her, Avada Kedavra will be too good for him." If there had been anyone in the room they would have been surprised to see easy-going Arthur Weasley's face take on a hard and almost cruel expression. _No one was hurting his baby girl_. Arthur thought to himself.

Molly, hoping to get away from this subject if it put that look on Arthur's face, steered the subject back to what they started talking about. "Can you imagine, Arthur, our children all grown up or on their way there?"

"No, but if you're right about Ron and Harry, we'll be reading about them and maybe even ourselves. Why don't we finish a chapter now? You can get the boys and I'll grab the book and we can relax in the living room." That said he headed into the living room.

Molly walked out the back door to the makeshift Quidditch pitch, looking up she saw Bill throwing apples while Charlie swooped to catch them.

"Boys! Boys, come down." She yelled up to them.

Both boys dived and landed, looking to their mother for an explanation.

Molly gave them a smile while she explained, "Arthur's home. We've decided to read another chapter of the book. Would you like to continue with us or stay out here flying?"

The boys took off at a run toward the house leaving Molly to shaking her head in amusement. "I'll take that as a yes." She said, turning around to follow them into the house.

Walking into the living room she saw her boys sprawled on the floor, out of breath, and her husband sprawled on the couch with the book in his hands. As she took her place next to him, Arthur began to read:

**Chapter Three**

**The Letters From No One**

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment.**

Bill: It wasn't really his fault, he shouldn't be punished.

Charlie: I don't think they care if it was his fault or not. They'll punish him for anything they feel they can get away with.

**By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started**

Molly: What about school? Did they let him out for school?

Arthur: Maybe they told everyone he was sick.

_Keeping a boy from school so he can stay locked in a cupboard. _Molly thought with outrage. _Disgusting._

**and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.**

Molly: Poor Arabella. That boy's a menace.

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid,**

Charlie looked confused at this.

Charlie: Big and stupid? Didn't they say that Piers was scrawny?

Bill: Maybe compared to Dudley he's scrawny but compared to Harry he's big.

**but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader.**

Bill and Charlie laughed.

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.**

Charlie: Doesn't sound like fun, especially not for Harry.

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, **

Bill nodded his head with a thoughtful look upon his face.

Bill: I guess that would make sense. He could be cornered in the house and he'd have space to run away outside. He shouldn't have to though.

**wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school.**

Arthur: That's what you think. You'll go to Hogwarts of course.

**Dudley thought this was very funny.**

Bill: He'll not think it's funny when Harry goes to Hogwarts and comes home knowing magic, like how to turn him into the pig he is.

Charlie gave a loud laugh, while Molly gave Bill a look of disapproval. She may not like the Dursleys but she didn't want her son thinking it was okay to say things like that.

**"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

Molly: You had better not even _think_ of stuffing his head down a toilet.

**"No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it -- it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said.**

Molly gave a giggle making her sons look at her in awe. She gave them an affronted look.

Molly: What? I can laugh if something's funny to you know. I may be your mother but I'm not dead and that was funny.

Bill and Charlie exchanged grins.

Bill: I never thought I'd say it but our mom is kind of cool.

Charlie shuddered but nodded in agreement.

Molly gave them both a kind smile.

Molly: Well, thank you.

Arthur turned and gave Molly a kiss on the cheek before turning to his sons.

Arthur: It's why I married her.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before.**

Arthur: Never thought I'd live to see it, Arabella not so fond of those little terrors she calls cats.

Molly: Arthur!

**She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

Molly looked a bit worried.

Molly: Oh, don't eat that Harry, dear, you'll get food poisoning.

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters.**

Bill: Wow, they've got to look so _stupid_! Thank Merlin Hogwarts students were black robes.

Charlie nodded in agreement

**They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

Molly: Life training? More like, beat each other stupid. Now we know what happened to Mr. Dursley.

Bill and Charlie laughed and they laughed even harder when Arthur admonished Molly.

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life.**

Charlie leaned over and whispered to Bill.

Charlie: He must not have had much to be proud of if _this_ is his proudest moment.

Bill sniggered quietly behind his hand.

**Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins,**

The boys burst into laughter, leaning against each other and yelled as one.

Bill/Charlie: Ickle Dudleykins!

**he looked so handsome and grown-up.**

Molly snorted.

Molly: Handsome? In that get up?

**Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.**

Bill: At least he has some taste. I'd have been scared if he thought the uniform looked good.

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.**

**"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

**"You new school uniform," she said.**

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

**"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

Charlie: A stupid thing to say. Do you think he said it on purpose?

Molly shook her head.

Molly: I don't know. James sometimes said the stupidest things in all seriousness. It may just be a Potter trait or curse if you want to look at it that way.

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."**

Arthur: I doubt that, considering how Dudley's hand-me-downs fit Harry. I can just see them dyed gray.

**Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High -- like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**

Charlie: That's disgusting.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell **

Bill: From each other.

**from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.**

**"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

Molly: Well, at least you make your son do _something_.

**"Make Harry get it."**

**"Make Dudley get it."**

Bill: You tell him Harry.

**"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

Molly shook her head in disappointment.

Molly: I take back what I said.

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and -- **_**a letter for Harry**_

Molly: His Hogwarts letter. It's going to get more interesting from here.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives -- he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake: **

_**Mr. H Potter**_

_**The Cupboard under the Stairs**_

_**4 Privet Drive**_

_**Little Whinging**_

_**Surrey**_

Charlie looked confused.

Charlie: It's addressed to the cupboard so why hasn't anyone from Hogwarts noticed and come to take him away?

Arthur: The letters are written with a charmed quill and sent straight from there. Though even if someone had seen it, most of them know nothing about Muggles. Wizards make things bigger on the inside all the time. It's almost second nature to them. They wouldn't even think about a cupboard being small.

Charlie: Something should be done about that. What's to say there aren't other kids out there who are abused? The letter could give some clue. They should be gone through before being sent out.

Molly smiled at Charlie. _He always seems to think of someone other than himself._ Molly thought fondly.

Molly: There are just too many letters sent out each year. Some go to other schools or are home schooled, some decline going to Hogwarts or _any_ magical school, preferring to stay in the Muggle world, and there are many who do decide to come to Hogwarts and acceptance letters are sent back, there are even a few letters that aren't received, wether because the owls can't find them or they just don't accept or decline. It always hard to keep track of all of them, reading them all is impossible.

Charlie still didn't look happy.

Charlie: It's still really stupid but I guess I understand why it has to be that way.

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

Charlie: A stamp?

Arthur: It's a small bit of sticky paper that's put on a letter so they can be sent.

Charlie: Why would a stamp be needed?

Arthur: Muggle letters aren't taken by owls, they're delivered by other Muggles who need to be payed for their jobs. You buy stamps and use them for your letters so it brings in a profit that is then used to pay those Muggles.

Charlie's lips twitched before he smoothed them out again.

Charlie: Kind of like you pay an owl with treats?

Arthur stumbled over his words.

Arthur: I . . . um . . . well . . . yes in a way.

As his family laughed around him he realized that while the first two questions were serious the last one wasn't. He'd been pranked; he joined in the laughter.

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter **_**H**_

**"Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

Bill: Letter bombs? Why would someone send a bomb in a letter?

Molly: They're usually sent to a specific person with the intent to harm or kill them. They're the Muggle version of jinxing or hexing a letter.

Arthur: The things Muggles come up with to compensate for not having magic.

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter.**

Molly worriedly shook her head.

Molly: No, Harry, open the letter away from them. They'll see it and take it.

**He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk . . . "**

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

Molly: See, I told you so.

**"That's **_**mine**_**!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, **

Bill: Hogwarts is who!

**shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.**

Noses were wrinkled at this.

All: Ew!

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.**

**"Vernon! Oh my goodness -- Vernon!"**

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.**

**"**_**I**_** want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's **_**mine**_**."**

Bill: You tell them Harry. It's yours and you should be able to read it!

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

**"I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.**

**"Let **_**me**_** see it!" demanded Dudley.**

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall,**

Charlie: Wow, he threw his own son.

Molly's lips tightened and she gave a growl.

Molly: He also threw Harry. If he's hurt . . . I'll . . . well, I'll think of something nasty to do to you Dursley.

**slamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole;**

Charlie: Punch him in the nose, Harry.

**Dudley won, so Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address -- how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

**"Watching -- spying -- might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

Arthur huffed out a laugh.

Arthur: He's getting paranoid.

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want --"**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer . . . Yes, that's best . . . we won't do anything . . . "**

Molly: That's not going to work. I mean, he's Harry Potter, if he doesn't answer and accept they'll have to send someone for him, won't they?

She looked a bit worried at the end, looking to Arthur to reassure her.

Arthur: Of course they will. If he doesn't answer, I'm sure Dumbledore will send someone.

**"But --"**

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

Molly began to rant.

Molly: Abuse you mean! Dangerous . . . nonsense . . . scared!

She finally ended with a growl.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

Bill: Will he fit?

**"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?"**

**"No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. "I have burned it."**

Molly gasped in outrage. _Burn Harry's Hogwarts letter. I should start a list of all the things I'm going to hex him for!_

Bill: I guess that's where the chapter title comes from. It's sad, most magical kids wait their whole lives for that letter and for him to burn it is a disgrace.

**"It was **_**not **_**a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."**

Arthur: You tell him, Harry.

**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**

Charlie: He's just not a pleasant person and to smile at Harry would make it tons worse.

**"Er -- yes, Harry -- about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking . . . you're really getting a bit big for it . . . we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."**

Molly's brow drew down into a frown.

Molly: Second bedroom? Why does Dudley _need_ a second bedroom? Also, Harry's growth has been stunted so he'll probably never be too big for that cupboard.

**"Why?" said Harry.**

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now."**

Charlie: Seems he can't be nice for long.

**The Dursley's house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom.**

Bill: Too much stuff to fit into _one _bedroom, so he needs_ two_? What he needs is to get rid of some that stuff! They have four bedrooms, that more than enough for Harry to have one!

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room.**

Their eyes narrowed at this. _One trip for everything?_

**He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog;**

Charlie: Poor dog.

**in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled;**

Bill: Brat. Spoiled brat.

**there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot**

Charlie: Who would trust Dudley with an animal? He's cruel to everyone around him and _they're_ human. Can you imagine what he'd do to a pet? Something that can't fight back or tell him no? He'd probably torture it.

**that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it.**

Molly frowned.

Molly: Who wouldn't take that as a sign that their child needs to lose weight, sitting on something like that and having it bend?

**Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.**

Charlie: Maybe because they haven't been touched.

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't **_**want**_** him in there . . . I**_** need **_**that room . . . make him get out . . . "**

Bill: Cry baby. He should be stuck in the cupboard and see how _he_ likes it.

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it.**

They all looked a bit sad at this.

Molly: Poor Harry.

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back.**

Sarcasm was used heavily.

Molly: Oh that _poor _boy, not being able to have _two_ rooms.

**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall.**

They all looked a bit bitter as well. Bill nodded.

Bill: You really should have.

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.**

Charlie: Trouble in paradise?

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall.**

Molly: They should let him get away with things like that. If he was a wizard, he'd probably be in Azkaban already.

Arthur nodded in agreement. _That's_ a scary _thought, someone as spoiled, mean, and cruel as Dudley with a wand and all the dangerous spells in existence._

**Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive --"**

Charlie: NO! Go get it Harry!

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him.**

Arthur: Go, Harry, Go!

**Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind.**

They all laughed as they pictured this. It was a very funny picture.

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

There was a disappointed murmur from them.

**"Go to your cupboard -- I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley -- go --- just go."**

Molly face tightened into a frown.

Molly: How come Harry has to go to his bedroom and Dudley just has to go?

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

Molly: Oh no. It's James all over again. It was never good when James said he had a plan. Chaos usually ensued.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first.**

Charlie: Good idea.

**His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door --**

**"AAAAARRRGH!"**

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat -- something **_**alive**_

Charlie looked disappointed.

Charlie: Not so good an idea.

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face. **

Bill and Charlie had a good laugh about this.

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do.**

Arthur: Scary how Uncle Vernon seemed to know what Harry would do.

They nodded in agreement.

**He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

**"I want --" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes.**

All: No!

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.**

Arthur shook his head.

Arthur: Like that's going to help.

**"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't **_**deliver**_** them they'll just give up."**

Bill: That's not going to work.

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon,**

Molly: So if we're not like you, what makes you think you can think like us? He's not making any sense.

Bill: That's because he has no sense, Mum. He can't use what he doesn't have.

**trying to know in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

Charlie: He's starting to lose it, isn't he?

Arthur: I think so son.

Bill: It will be interesting when he finally does lose it completely.

Molly: Not if Harry gets hurt because of it.

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.**

Molly: At least they haven't given up yet.

Arthur: I don't think they could. If Harry, or rather, 'The Boy-Who-Lived', didn't go to a magical school, didn't go to _Hogwarts_ it would more than likely cause a panic. Most of the British Wizarding World considers Beauxbatons' boys . . . weak and Merlin forbid that 'The Boy-Who-Lived' goes to Durmstrang and learns the Dark Arts.

Bill: Harry's really famous; so why haven't any of the other schools tried to reach him? I mean, it would be good press for their school, 'The Boy-Who-Lived' going there.

Arthur: Dumbledore probably put up a mail ward around Privet Drive, redirecting owls that haven't been keyed into them. It's not the best idea, but it _is _a good one; lots of people would want to send fan mail and even some would want to send cursed mail. Not giving Harry a choice is what I don't agree with, though he _is_ still a bit young to have to worry about things like that. Dumbledore will surely take it down once he starts Hogwarts.

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

Bill: He really is going mad!

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two dozen eggs**

Bill/Charlie: Cool! Will we learn how to do that?

Molly: Well, of course, dears. That sounds like the Switching Spell, doesn't it Arthur?

Arthur: It could very well be, switching the egg yokes with the letters.

**that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

**"Who on earth wants to talk to **_**you**_** this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**

**"No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully**

Bill gave a sly smile.

Bill: I wouldn't be so cheerful, owls don't take Sundays off.

**as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today --"**

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head.**

This got everyone to chuckle, just imagining the look that had to be on Vernon Dursley's face.

**Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one --**

Arthur: Well, Harry seems to be a Gryffindor.

Bill: Why's that, Dad?

Arthur gave Bill a smile as he explained.

Arthur: More than likely, a Ravenclaw would have read the letter that first day, a Hufflepuff would wait until a letter came to them, a Slytherin would duck, grabbing one of the ones on the floor and hiding it quickly, and a Gryffindor would do like Harry is doing now, the straight, head-on approach. When Gryffindors do something, they tend to draw attention to themselves, even when trying to be sneaky.

**"Out! OUT!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall. When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time.**

Charlie winced.

Charlie: Oh, that's got to hurt, but he does seem to have finally lost it.

**"I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"**

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

Molly: That's probably the first time Dudley has ever been punished for something.

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while.**

**"Shake'em off . . . shake'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

They all laughed at this. _As if you could shake off a wizard. _They thought.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

Molly: Well, now you know what Harry feels like every day!

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering . . . **

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**

**"'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."**

Charlie: Wow! A hundred? That's a lot of letters. Though I guess it does prove your theory of chaos and panic if Harry doesn't go to Hogwarts. Anyone else not replying and I bet they wouldn't send so many; they'd probably just accept that they weren't coming and move on.

Arthur: They might send someone if he doesn't reply to these, one hundred has got to be the limit.

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

_**Mr. H. Potter**_

_**Room 17**_

_**Railview Hotel**_

_**Cokeworth**_

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.**

Molly frowned in disapproval.

Molly: Well, don't just stare.

**"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

**"Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.**

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

They all nodded but it was Bill who voiced what they were all thinking.

Bill: Yes, Yes he has.

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley sniveled.**

**"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a **_**television**_**."**

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it **_**was**_** Monday -- and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days of the week, because of television -- then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday.**

Molly looked at the book sadly

Molly: What a horrible way to spend a birthday.

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun -- last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

Bill/Charlie: Ew!

Molly's eyes narrowed, lips tightened, and her brows brew into a frown. When she spoke, her voice was ominous.

Molly: Old socks and a coat hanger.

_I really need to start keeping a list._ She thought. _Maybe I'll start now!_ With her mind made up she got up from the couch, rooting around in Bill's cluttered school books for a quill and parchment. Her sons and husband watching her as she quickly reseated herself and began scribbling as fast as she was able.

Bill leaned over, the paper was labeled, Things to Hex the Dursley's for. He read some of the points she wrote; cupboard bedroom, cooking, punched in the nose, and scanning to the bottom he read destroyed Hogwarts letters and birthdays – coat hanger and old socks.

After a few minutes of writing she looked back up and Arthur continued with the story.

**Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling.**

They exchanged wary looks.

Charlie: Oh, that can't be good. Anything that makes _him_ smile is bound to be horrible.

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"**

Arthur: Perfect? What kind of place is _perfect_ to him?

**It was very cold outside the car.**

Molly looked at the book in disapproval.

Molly: You had better have a jumper on. You'll catch your death cold.

**Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock way was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was for certain, there was no television in there.**

Again, wary looks were exchanged.

Bill: I don't like the sound of this.

**"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"**

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them.**

Charlie: It's sounding worse all the time.

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spay and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.**

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**

Molly looked wound tight, wringing her hands with a worried look upon her face.

Bill: It really_ is _a miserable little shack.

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas.**

Molly: That's not nearly enough. Especially since Harry didn't have anything the day before and then only cornflakes and tinned tomatoes that morning. They're going to _starve_ him! He's going to _wasteaway_!

It was a known fact to her family that Molly tended to exaggerate when she was nervous.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up.**

**"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

Arthur: Don't worry, Harry, we're wizards, we can reach you just about anywhere.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. **

Molly frowned, expression set in a cross between anger and worry.

Molly: What about Harry? Where is _he_ going to sleep? How is he going to keep warm?

**She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

The boys and Arthur heard Molly growl under her breath as she grabbed up her quill and parchment and scribbled quickly.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. **

Bill: Poor Harry, he's got to be miserable there.

**Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now.**

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did.**

Molly bit her lip, wringing her hands, almost holding her breath.

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.**

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?**

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds . . . twenty . . . ten . . . nine -- maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him -- three . . . two . . . one . . . **

Charlie: Happy Birthday, Harry.

**BOOM.**

Arthur seemed to have really gotten into reading the story for this was said in a loud, booming voice, making the others jump in their seats, eyes wide.

Arthur gave them a sheepish look before reading again.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

Molly: _Who_? Someone from Hogwarts?

Bill: Let's hope so. They can take him away from the Dursleys.

Molly turned to Arthur.

Molly: What's the next chapter title, Arthur? Maybe it will give us some idea of who's there.

Arthur turned the page in the book and gave Molly a smile.

Arthur: The Keeper Of The Keys.

He also handed over the book, showing her the small drawing above the name.

Molly gave a sigh and smile of relief, letting the built up tension release.

Molly: Hagrid. He'll take care of Harry.

Charlie: Hagrid? He was mentioned in the first chapter but not much about him.

Molly: He works as the ground's keeper at Hogwarts as well as the Keeper of the Keys, meaning he has a key for any door in Hogwarts. He also has a strange fascination and love of all dangerous creatures. The more dangerous they are the more he seems to love them.

Charlie smiled. He couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts and meet Hagrid. _I wonder if he likes dragons?_ Charlie thought.

They all sat, deep in their own thoughts for a few minutes before finally Bill wondered off. Pretty soon Charlie followed, leaving Molly and Arthur sitting on the couch. Molly leaned into Arthur's side, letting out a sigh of contentment.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur got home late that night, after the children had gone to bed, to find his wife waiting up for him in the kitchen writing what looked to be a list.

Arthur wearily lowered himself into the chair across from Molly with a tired sigh.

"What is it you're working on, Mollywobbles?" Arthur asked.

Molly looked up from what she had been writing, to blink owlishly at Arthur, almost as if she hadn't realized he'd come home.

"Bill's birthday is coming up. As Harry said, you aren't eleven every day, so I thought we could have a small party, invite some of his friends over. I'll whip up some food and a cake and they can play some Quidditch in the field. We could have them over in the afternoon for a late lunch and give them a few hours to play, then presents and cake and they can be sent home for dinner. That way it wouldn't be too fancy or too much of a schedule change for Ron and Ginny," explained Molly while she rubbed her tired eyes.

Arthur stood and made his was around the table, "It sounds wonderful dear, but you can finish any planning tomorrow." He said as he gently guided her to their bedroom.

Each dressed in night clothes they climbed into bed with a sleepy kiss exchanged and murmurs of 'I love you' before the lights were put out and all that was heard was their gentle, even breathing.

A few days later, on a bright Sunday, the party went off without a hitch. Bill's closest friends were there, all bringing him a small gift. After a lunch of Bill's favorites they trooped outside to the Quidditch field for few games. When they returned to the house presents were opened and cake was distributed. Bill opened presents of mostly candy and chocolate but there was a book thrown in here or there. His favorite present turned out to, in fact, be a book, a history of known or suspected curses used by the Egyptians and ways in which they were countered.

Once his friends were sent home and his mother started cleaning up all the messes that had been made, he practically fell on the book, _I never knew something like this could be so interesting,_ he thought, reading through the book and writing down book titles that were used as references. He only put it away when he was called to the kitchen for supper.

Supper was its usual boisterous affair, with Ginny in her bassinet with a bottle, Ron in his high chair with his fingers mushing and squeezing his mashed potatoes and peas, having abandoned his spoon early on. A pea would occasionally fly by from where the twins were accompanied by a squeal of laughter and Molly's admonishments. Percy seemed to be the only one trying to eat with any manners as Bill and Charlie were talking loudly with their mouths full about the Quidditch game today, Bill's curse breaking book, and Charlie's fascination with his dragon book.

Before long, the food was gone, everyone was full, and the children's eyes were starting to droop. Molly set the dishes to doing themselves and rounded up her younger children and herded them off to bed.

Molly relaxed back into the couch, the children having been tucked into bed, with a long drawn out sigh. While a fun filled day had been had by all, she was ready for some quiet relaxation.

Arthur and the boys came in from wherever they had wondered off too, _like they always do when it's time to put the children to bed, especially children who didn't __**want**__ to go to bed. _She noticed that Arthur was carrying the Harry Potter book, _that would be the perfect thing to relax me, or considering how the last chapter ended, maybe not but he __**will**__find out he's a wizard in this one. Oh, I can't wait for when he sees Diagon Alley or even more memorable, Hogwarts, for the first time._

While Arthur, Bill, and Charlie arranged themselves, Molly settled down in a corner, the blanket from the back of the sofa wrapped around her. Arthur began to read:

**Chapter Four**

**The Keeper Of The Keys**

**Boom. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.**

**"Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly.**

Bill smiled and huffed a laugh.

Bill: He is stupid; he can't say anything without saying it stupidly.

This caused Charlie to laugh and Molly to frown with disapproval, though her frowns seemed to be getting less as the story continued.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands --**

Charlie: A what?

Arthur: They're like a Muggle wand, but instead of spells they shoot out fast bits of metal. Muggles use them to hurt or kill each other.

**now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you -- I'm armed!"**

**There was a pause. Then --**

**SMASH!**

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.**

Molly's eyes widened as she let out a gasp.

Molly: Oh, Hagrid! What if Harry had been standing in front of the door. You could have hit him.

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.**

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

**"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey . . . "**

Molly smiled fondly.

Molly: That's just like Hagrid. No matter who he's talking to or even if he's done anything to make them mad, he'll go on like it didn't even happen.

She turned to the boys, whispering conspiratorially.

Molly: Hagrid's a bit oblivious that way.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother,**

Charlie looked a bit shocked.

Charlie: He's not going to fit. He has to know he's not going to fit, right?

**who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

Molly looked a bit thoughtful at this, turning to her husband.

Molly: That's not just fear of the unknown. Something must have scared them off wizards. Did James ever tell you if he and his friends ever pulled any pranks on them?

Arthur thought about it before answering.

Arthur: Well, I'm sure they must have, and knowing the Marauders, while most of their pranks were funny, they were also a bit malicious.

**"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.**

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes."**

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

**"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"**

They all laughed, disbelievingly of Vernon.

Bill: Like _that's_ going to work.

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant;**

Charlie: I think I like Hagrid.

Charlie shared a smile with Bill.

**he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.**

Bill: Wow. He's very strong. I bet that scared the Dursleys even more.

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

Bill/Charlie: Squeak!

**"Anyway -- Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here -- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with **_**Happy Birthday Harry**_** written on it in green icing.**

Molly cooed.

Molly: I really must do something nice for Hagrid.

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

Molly: Harry!

Molly sighed.

Molly: Well, I guess it's the thought that counts. He _did_ mean to say thank you. I'm sure this is all _very_ hard for him, not knowing who Hagrid is, why he's there, or why the Dursleys seem so scared of him.

Arthur: It'll get better dear. Just think how much fun he'll have in the magical world. I think that will more than make up for not knowing.

**The giant chuckled.**

**"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."**

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

Molly: Careful Hagrid, you don't want to hurt Harry.

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

Molly's eyes narrowed.

Molly: You will _not_ _drink_ while your around Harry.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.**

Arthur, hoping to calm his wife, pointed this out.

Arthur: At least now he'll be warm, love. Don't worry, Hagrid may be a bit careless but he'll not let any harm come to Harry.

Molly nodded at Arthur.

Molly: Yes, yes, you're right dear, of course you are.

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea.**

Molly:Hagrid, that _better_ not be what I think it is!

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

Charlie: Oh, like he'd give that fat lump anything.

**The giant chuckled darkly.**

**"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry."**

Charlie: You tell him, Hagrid!

It seemed that Charlie had a new hero.

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful,**

Molly nodded in approval.

Molly: Eat up Harry, dear. You'll want to keep your strength up for what's to come and you've got to be hungry.

She added a sniff and a mumble.

Molly: Going without food like that. Horrible man he is, your Uncle.

**but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts -- yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."**

They all looked sad at this. Arthur shook his head.

Arthur: No, Hagrid, he doesn't know about Hogwarts.

**"Er -- no," said Harry.**

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

**"Sorry," Harry said quickly.**

Molly: There's nothing for you to be sorry about. It's the Dursleys that should be sorry! If I ever get my hands on them, they _will_ be sorry.

**"**_**Sorry?**_**" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"**

Bill: He doesn't even _know_ about his parents.

Bill looked pained saying this. He couldn't imagine a life with people who hated him, never knowing the love his parents had for him, never knowing the joys and annoyances of having siblings, knowing you were different from those you lived with but not knowing why or that there were others that were just like you - to not know that it was really okay to _be_ different, instead of perfectly ordinary, _normal_, like those around you.

It was a horrible way to go through life. He promised himself that he would help Harry in anyway that he could.

**"All what?" asked Harry.**

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second."**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy -- this boy! -- knows nothin' abou' -- about ANYTHING?"**

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school after all, and his marks weren't bad.**

Molly smiled fondly, just as she would at one of her own if they'd taken something she'd said wrong.

Molly: He doesn't mean that dear. He means that you don't know about _magic_, that you're a _wizard_.

**"I know **_**some**_** things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff."**

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About **_**our**_** world, I mean. **_**Your**_** world. **_**My**_** world. **_**Yer parents' world**_**."**

**"What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble."**

There was laughter at this. Anything that made Vernon Dursley terrified _had_ to be funny.

Charlie: Mimblewimble?

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.**

**"But yeh must know about yer mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're **_**famous**_**. You're **_**famous**_**."**

**"What? My -- my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

**"Yeh don' know . . . yeh don' know . . . " Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.**

Bill: Tell him already!

**"Yeh don' know where yeh **_**are**_**?" he said finally.**

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything."**

Molly shook her head.

Molly: That's not going to work on Hagrid.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

**"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"**

**"Kept **_**what**_** from me?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

Molly shook her head with an exasperated sigh.

Molly: She sure is dramatic. She had to have known he'd find out, with her having a sister who was a witch she'd have better insight into our world than her husband.

**"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagid. "Harry -- yer a wizard."**

There were quiet cheers in the Weasley living room. Harry finally _knew_ and while he might not truly understand it, he _knew_!

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

**"I'm a **_**what**_**?" gasped Harry.**

**"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

Bill and Charlie had gotten up and were dancing around the room, singing while Molly and Arthur laughed.

Bill/Charlie: Harry's going to Hogwarts, Harry's going to Hogwarts!

When they finally settled down, Arthur picked up where he left off.

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green**

Charlie: Is everything going to be green or is it leading up to something?

Bill looked thoughtful before shrugging.

Bill: I've read that Slytherin colors are green and silver. Maybe Harry will be in Slytherin or maybe the author's favorite color is just green.

**to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL**

_**of**_** WITCHCRAFT**_** and**_** WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

_**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,**_

_**Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**_

Bill: Wow. Can he be anything else? When does he find the time to do anything, run the school even?

Arthur: Dumbledore's first concern has always been with running the school, everything else comes second.

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours sincerely,**

_**Minerva McGonagall**_

**Minerva McGonagall,**

_**Deputy Headmistress**_

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks**

Charlie: Ouch. I don't think fireworks in the head would be all that pleasant.

**and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"**

Molly's brow creased.

Molly: I never did like that. I had some muggleborn friends when I was in school and they always complained that the school and most wizards in general assumed that since they knew something that everyone must know it too. The Hogwarts letter was always one of their biggest concerns for muggleborns or even just those raised in the Muggle world. It's assumed that the child or parents will know how to use an owl. Some of the muggleborns take it as a joke since it's just an acceptance letter. It doesn't tell you anything _about_ Hogwarts.

Molly trailed off with a huff.

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl -- a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl --**

Charlie: That poor owl. Hagrid could have sat on it at some point and he'd never know until he went to pull it out.

**a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:**

_**Dear Professor Dumbledore,**_

_**Given Harry his letter.**_

_**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.**_

Molly's face took an excited cast.

Molly: Harry will go to Diagon Alley tomorrow. I can't wait for his reactions.

_**Weather's horrible. Hope your well.**_

_**Hagrid**_

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.**

Arthur smiled and nodded.

Arthur: To wizards it is.

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

**"He's not going," he said.**

Molly frowned.

Molly: I'd like to see you try to stop him. It'd be chaos at the Dursley house with the Ministry, Dumbledore, and any other fans all trying to get Harry. More than a few curses and hexes would fly.

**Hagrid grunted.**

**"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.**

**"A what?" said Harry, interested.**

**"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."**

Molly frowned.

Molly: Lily and James went into hiding, they had some warning, so I'm sure they updated their will before then. They probably put in whom they wanted Harry to live with should anything happen to them and I'm _sure_ they wouldn't have wanted Harry put with Muggles, especially not _these_ Muggles. So, why is Harry with them?

Arthur: There were a lot of families that were wiped out in the war, others who are in no condition to take care of a child. Maybe all the listed people were found to be unworthy.

Molly worried her bottom lip.

Molly: _We_ would have taken him in, taken care of him.

Arthur gave a sad smile to his wife.

Arthur: We'd just had Ginny and Ron was a handful, along with the twins. Maybe they thought they shouldn't burden us with another. It would also have given us another mouth to feed. We're making do now but another child might have put too much strain on the finances. Lily and James had to have known that.

Molly flooded with helpless frustration and anger as well as sadness.

Molly: We could have made do, we _would_ have made do.

Arthur: I know, love and that's probably why they didn't give us a choice.

Arthur looked a bit thoughtful.

Arthur: It's either that or there was no will . . . or there was a will and it was never read, never carried out.

Molly looked horrified.

Molly: Who would do such a thing?

Arthur looked hesitant to say anything but continued none the less.

Arthur: It could have been the Ministry for any number of reasons, a Muggle raised child is easier to . . . to mold than a Wizard raised child who knows the laws. There's also the chance of a dark family getting custody and raising him if he had stayed in the Wizarding World.

_Well, we'll just have to find a way around that. _Molly thought to herself with a sly smile. No matter what Arthur said she was determined to do something about Harry even if it was something as small as hexing the Dursleys nice.

**"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"**

Arthur frowned. He may not get angry very often but even he couldn't abide child abuse.

Arthur: Stamp it out of him?

**"You **_**knew**_**?" said Harry. "You **_**knew**_** I'm a -- a wizard?"**

Molly looked sad.

Molly: Of course they did. Even if Dumbledore didn't tell them Petunia would have at least suspected what with Lily and James being magical.

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "**_**Knew!**_** Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what se was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that -- that **_**school**_** -- and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was -- a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud having a witch in the family!"**

The Weasleys sat in stunned silence as Arthur read Petunia's rant. They were all asking themselves how someone could have that much hatred and jealousy for their family, their little sister.

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

**"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as -- as -- **_**abnormal**_** -- and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

Molly looked horrified. Harry didn't know what had happened to his parents and to find out like this? It was unthinkable.

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" **

Bill nodded his head. It was an outrage.

Bill: You tell'em Hagrid!

**"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh -- but someone's gotta -- yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."**

Charlie: Can you imagine how much harder it would be going to Hogwarts with no idea why everyone was staring at you? Though maybe, Hagrid isn't the right person to tell Harry. Hagrid seems like someone who would tell _too_ much. Things Harry shouldn't know at that age.

Molly: You're probably right, maybe it should be someone like Dumbledore but to get Harry there they'd have to go into the magical world and that would make the point would be moot.

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

**"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh -- mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it . . . "**

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with -- with a person called -- but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows --"**

Bill spoke slowly.

Bill: Yes, but Harry's not _in_ our world. He's as good as a muggleborn right now. He won't know anything.

**"Who?"**

**"Well -- I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went . . . bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was . . . "**

**Harry gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.**

**"Nah -- can't spell it. All right -- **_**Voldemort**_**," Hagrid shuddered.**

They shuddered along with Hagrid.

**"Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this -- this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got'em, too -- some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o'his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches . . . terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him -- an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.**

**"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before . . . probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.**

**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em . . . maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' -- an' --"**

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

Molly: Poor Hagrid, having to tell this story, especially when Harry _should_ know it.

**"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad -- knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find -- anyway . . . **

**"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then -- an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing -- he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then.**

Bill cut in at this.

Bill: I vote number two.

**But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh -- took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even -- but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age -- the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts**

Molly let out a shuddering gasp at this, hand covering her mouth and tears leaking from her eyes. So many good people, her family even, gone because of a madman.

**-- an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."**

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before -- and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh.**

Arthur put an arm around Molly's shoulders as she let out a sob, pulling her over so she could bury her face in his chest.

Arthur, hoping to get through the unpleasantness of this chapter, continued reading.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

**"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot . . . "**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

Bill: He's not very smart, is he?

**"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

There was an outraged gasp from Molly and Arthur's hands clenched around the book tightly.

**-- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion**

Molly took this moment to pull out her trusty 'Hex the Dursleys' list and began to add to it, eyes narrowed and lips pursed tight. If the story continued on like this she was sure she'd need lists for people other than the Dursleys.

**-- asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types -- just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end --"**

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -- I'm warning you -- one more word . . . "**

Bill: Hex them Hagrid! Go on. You can do it!

Charlie nodded his head and joined in.

Charlie: Yeah, go on Hagrid, _really_ hex them.

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

Bill and Charlie made disappointed noises.

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol, sorry -- I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

**"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried to kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see . . . he was gettin' more an' more powerful -- why'd he go?**

**"Some say he died.**

Arthur shook his head. He didn't believe that. Someone like Voldemort, whose biggest wish was to be an immortal ruler, wouldn't go that easily. He had to have done _something_ in the way of achieving his goal. But Arthur had promised himself that he wouldn't say anything about his suspicions, not even to Molly. He'd let his family have as much peace as he could give them.

**Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back.**

Molly frowned with a huff.

Molly: That's a perfect excuse. No matter how guilty they were, they ran to the nearest Auror to plead Imperious.

**"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on -- **_**I**_** dunno what it was, no one does -- but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes,**

Bill bit his lip, his brows tilting down.

Bill: Harry probably doesn't even remember. He's going to feel he hasn't earned it and that he doesn't deserve Hagrid, or anyone else's, respect.

**but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?**

Molly smiled.

Molly: Of course you're a wizard, Harry. Your magic can't do everything though, at least, not until you're trained up a bit. You'll see. Not a wizard.

Molly let out a small laugh.

**"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."**

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

**"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared and angry?"**

Charlie: Lots of things seemed to happen around Harry.

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it . . . every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry . . . chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach . . . dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back . . . and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him?**

Bill practically beamed at this.

Bill: Yep, and it was pretty cool too.

Charlie nodded in agreement.

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.**

**"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard -- you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.**

Bill: Hey, maybe Hagrid will finally lose it and hex him.

Charlie: We can hope.

Molly: Boys!

Bill and Charlie hung their heads and mumbled.

Bill/Charlie: Sorry, Mum.

Molly's eyes narrowed.

Molly: If anyone's going to hex him it's going to be me.

Bill and Charlie stared at her for a moment and then exchanged looks, smiling. Arthur raised the book, covering his smile.

**"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish -- spell books and wands and --"**

**"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had, Albus Dumbled--"**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

Arthur and Molly's eyes widened.

Arthur: Oh, no.

Bill: What? Oh no, what? I mean I know it's not the nicest thing he could have said but he's said other things.

Molly answered calmly.

Molly: This is where Vernon is hexed.

Charlie: Why?

Arthur: You _never_ say anything against Dumbledore when Hagrid can hear you. Hagrid really looks up to Dumbledore and you say anything bad about him and Hagrid is likely to hurt you.

Molly nodded in agreement. She knew she could be a bit scary when she was well and truly mad but Hagrid was ten times worse. _Maybe it's his size?_ She thought, giving a mental shrug.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER --" he thundered, "-- INSULT -- ALBUS -- DUMBLEDORE -- IN -- FRONT -- OF -- ME!"**

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley**

Molly: Oh, I thought for sure he'd hex Vernon.

**-- there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hold in his trousers.**

There was laughter in the Weasley living room. Bill and Charlie on the floor, rolling around. Arthur, his head tilted back, laughing so hard tears rolled down his face and Molly, with her hand covering her mouth and giggles sneaking out.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

**"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

Bill and Charlie gave snorts at this.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

**"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm -- er -- not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff -- one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job --"**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.**

**"Oh, well -- I was at Hogwarts meself but I -- er -- got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year.**

Molly's expression turned curious

Molly: I've always wondered why he was expelled.

Arthur: Probably his liking for large pets. Maybe on got loose. Though it would be nice to know for certain.

Charlie: Why don't you just ask him?

Arthur: He always changes the subject when someone asks.

**They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."**

**"Why were you expelled?"**

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."**

Arthur's lips twisted wryly.

Arthur: See?

**He took off his black coat and threw it to Harry.**

**"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

Arthur closed to book softly, placing it down.

Arthur: That's it.

Molly was up almost instantly. While she loved reading the book and the time spent with her family, it was late and she was tired. She was sure the boys were as well. It had been a long day for them all.

Molly and Arthur lead the boys up stairs, wishing Bill a happy birthday once more.

They climbed into their own bed and were soon fast asleep.


End file.
